New York to provide $16M for five upstate counties affected by severe flooding

Wednesday

Jul 17, 2013 at 2:16 PMJul 17, 2013 at 2:18 PM

ALBANY (AP) – The state will provide $16 million to homeowners, business operators and farmers in five of the 12 upstate counties that were declared disaster areas after recent severe flooding but denied federal aid, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said he continues to push the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Albany to appeal the federal decision that could help individuals in all the counties.

Cuomo says Herkimer County will get $4 million, Madison County $3 million, Oneida County $3 million, Niagara County $2 million and Montgomery County $4 million.

“It’s a lot of money, but it’s your neighbors saying, ‘We’re here to help you,’” Cuomo said at a Herkimer County news conference on Wednesday. “When one person has a problem, everyone is there, one for the other.”

Seven counties that were also declared disaster areas weren’t included in Cuomo’s announcement. They are Allegany, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Franklin, Otsego and Warren. The Cuomo administration had no immediate comment on why New Yorkers from those counties have apparently been left out.

The announcement of $16 million from the state comes as state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reports state revenues were $321 million over projections as of the end of June. The state budget totals more than $135 billion.

Schumer said Wednesday that he continues to urge the state to appeal a decision by FEMA not to provide assistance. Schumer calls the decision wrongheaded.

“I’m very glad the state is stepping in as far as homeowners are concerned,” Schumer said. He said his office is contacting local officials to double check reports of “significant damage” to homes and businesses which could reverse FEMA’s decision. But he said only the state can appeal.

Cuomo said he felt FEMA was wrong in its decision, but he hasn’t appealed.

Cuomo said homeowners, business operators and farmers in the five counties will get state funding equal to what they would have received from FEMA. That includes a voluntary program for government to buy property which has been repeatedly flooded. Private homeowners would be paid at full market value before the latest flooding. The land would be kept vacant and used to help control future flooding.

State and local governments will get millions of dollars in FEMA aid to repair and rebuild roads and other services.

Cuomo also invited the local political leaders to Albany for a planning and recovery meeting Thursday of those hit last year by Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and Superstorm Sandy.